The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has deployed additional units of Police Mobile Force, PMF, and other Police Tactical Squads to Imo State to strengthen security in the State and prevent further attacks on security formations or any other critical national infrastructure.
The deployment followed Easter Monday’s attack on security operatives at the Imo State Police Command Headquarters and the Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Services in Owerri.
The IGP gave the directives on Monday in a press statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer Frank Mba.
The Police Chief disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that the attackers came in their numbers with sophisticated weapons such as General Purpose Machine Guns, GPMGs, Sub-Machine Guns, SMGs, AK-49 rifles, Rocket Propelled Grenades, RPGs, Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs.
The statement also alleges that investigations reveal that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, launched the attacks.
IGP Adamu further stated that attempt by the attackers to gain access to the Police armoury at the Headquarters was totally and appropriately resisted by Police operatives on duty who repelled the attackers and prevented them from breaking in and looting the armoury.
Similarly, the Police suffered no human casualty, apart from a Police Constable who sustained a minor bullet wound on his shoulder.
The report also revealed that one of the operational vehicles of the attackers has been recovered by the Police and is currently being subjected to forensic scrutiny and investigations.
The IGP condemned the attack on the security outfits and directed the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, and a new Special Investigation Team to carry out holistic investigations into the incident with a view to fishing-out the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
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The IGP, who described the deliberate and criminal attack on security operatives as an attack on the soul of the nation, enjoined leaders in Imo State, the South-East, and other parts of the country to speak out against the unfolding violence and criminality.
He called on citizens to avail the Police and other security agencies with useful information that can assist in identifying and arresting the criminals.
(Editor: Abaje Usekwe)
